In general, current bone diagnostic techniques for assessing the mechanical properties of bone structure and, more importantly, fracture risk are inadequate. The estimate of areal bone mineral density (BMD) by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) does not reliably predict fracture risk. In fact, for a given DXA score, there is an unexplained increase in fracture risk with age, as well as with progression of various disease states, such as diabetes. These limitations of DXA related to BMD depending on bone size may be somewhat overcome by quantitative computed tomography imaging. However, any X-ray based diagnostic technique is generally sensitive primarily to the mineral portion of a bone structure, which accounts for only ≈43% of the bone structure by volume. The remaining soft-tissue components of bone structures, including collagen and collagen-bound water, are essentially invisible to DXA and quantitative computed tomography. Accordingly, there exists a need for supplementing or replacing DXA and other techniques in order to more accurately predict fracture risks.